A New Expedition
by Luna the Dragon
Summary: Ever since she left Ash, May has fallen away from her own values, entering a semideperate state to prove herself. It's not until she meets the young aristocrat, Relm, that she finally realizes just being herself proves a lot. Advanceshipping
1. A New Expedition

_**Chapter 1**_

**A New Expedition**

"What are you doing here?" May asked, her mouth agape in shock. Eevee squealed happily, fond of the young girl despite the little time they actually spent together.

Relm glowered at May's tone, her crimson red eyes dancing with defiance. "I told you I was coming, so you can drop the loner act_ right now_." She said calmly, her silky, white hair fluttering in the air conditioned bus.

That was Relm for you. Refined, stoic, observant, aware, and rarely satisfied. She should have known that as a rich girl, Relm _always_ got what she wanted. And the girl saw right through her, too. May did want to continue on alone; it was what she promised herself. That didn't mean that she enjoyed it. _Sometimes, I wonder if she's an eighty-year-old hiding out in a ten-year-old's body._ She wouldn't doubt it for one second. Relm was more protective of her than her mother, and she was _younger_ than May.

She couldn't ask for a better friend.

OoOoOoOoO

He was dreaming that fateful day, when it happened: Treecko, the wood gecko Pokemon? Mudkip, the mud fish Pokemon? Torchic, the chick Pokemon? Which would he choose? He stood right in front of the same lab table that his very own sister did, his hand shifting from the first, to the second, to the third Pokeball. But he just couldn't choose. And right when his hand stopped over one, his thumb seeking the button that would release his choice, the sound of his mother screaming jolted him from his slumber.

He quickly tore the sheets off of himself, grabbed his glasses, and promptly ran to the door of his room, tripping down the stairs and scrambling into the kitchen. There, his mother, Caroline, stood over a pot with a slip of paper clutched into her hand.

"I just don't _understand_ this," she said shakily to Kinji, who seemed both stunned and horrified, the broom abandoned on the floor. The pot gurgled and steamed angrily, as if it had its own opinion of how audacious it was for this to ever happen. "No, this is just some twisted joke. Some way to get attention, that's it."

His father stormed in, ready to defend them from Team Rocket, Magma, Aqua, even the whole world. Norman, the greatest father a boy could ever ask for, the strongest trainer in the universe; he meant that and more to him. How ironic that even he would admit, at that moment, how powerless his father was, no matter who he knew, or who he could call. "What's going on Caroline?" He asked calmly, seeing there was no immediate threat.

Ready to ask the question himself, he peered from a distance at his mother's hand, where the blue Winter letter paper remained. It seemed to be the source of his mother's anguish. He paled, recognizing the stationary. "That's May's," he whispered loudly enough for the rest of the kitchen's occupants to hear.

"Let me see it," Norman demanded, gently prying her fingers from it.

He later found that it was addressed to Kinji.

_Dear Kinji,_

_You'll probably tell my parents as soon as you get this letter. I guess I can't really call this running away. It's not like I wasn't about to go on a journey anyway. I wanted to strike out on my own. I know Mom and Dad would never agree for me to do that; I would have had to take Max and someone else to "supervise" while I became the best Coordinator out there. I have to do this on my own._

_Tell my family that I love them. And please don't worry. I'll be just fine._

_May_

"Why would she do this?" Caroline fretted, wiping her eyes. "This isn't like her Norman. What if-." She immediately covered her mouth; the suggestions as to what_ could _happen were forbidden to be said. Because it meant that it_ would_ happen, at least to the worried mother at the moment.

A grim expression slowly edged it's way onto the gym leader's face. He abruptly placed the note on the counter, where Kinji first found it, and walked to the phone. "I'm calling the police," he said.

"What's going on?" Max finally asked, his hands shaking slightly.

Caroline burst into tears at his question, a sob escaping her lips, and her hands searching for a chair to settle in. Kinji looked away, finally roused from his stupor.

"What happened to my sister?!" He yelled, fighting to keep his tears at bay.

Kinji finally found his voice just as Caroline lost hers. "May's gone. She left this note behind on the counter," he said steadily.

"Good morning, Officer Jenny," Norman suddenly said through the phone. "I'd like to report a missing person." He paused as one of many Jennies questioned him. "May Maple, my daughter."

Max didn't stay any longer. He was ten now; he was too old to cry. He completely disregarded the tears streaming down his face in rivulets.

What she wrote on the paper was a lie; she wouldn't be okay. He began to notice how small things angered her or provoked tears. The most common thing that brought on the waterworks was food. She ate less and sometimes skipped dinner, cooped up in her room with Eevee. In fact, ever since they left Ash, she wasn't okay.

Then it occurred to him. He had to tell Ash. He cursed his father's use of the normal phone; now he would have to use the video phone. He really didn't want Ash to see him like this. Max sighed. The next time he saw May, she was going to get an ear full.

Max searched the internet for the list of recent challengers to any gyms in Sinnoh. Sure enough, Ash was listed in a recent challenge of the Oreburgh Gym. He copied the number of the Oreburgh Pokemon Center and immediately dialed, wiping his eyes before the kind, pink haired Nurse Joy appeared on the blank screen.

"Hello," she greeted cheerfully, further souring his mood. The world wouldn't stop for his problems, and he found that he didn't like it, no matter how selfish it was. "This is the Oreburgh Pokemon Center. How may I help you?"

"Umm," Max hesitated before continuing with the best professional voice he could muster. "I'm looking for Ash Ketchum . . . . . from Pallet Town."

"One moment, please," she implored, smiling sweetly. She averted her gaze away from the screen. He figured that she was checking the computer by her hand motions, so he took that moment to briefly figure out what to say. What could he say? How could he tell Ash that his sister just left without warning or how down in the dumps she had been? He felt ashamed, more for the fact that, for once, he didn't understand his sister the way he usually did. He was brought out of his musings by Nurse Joy who returned to the video phone.

"I'm really sorry, but he left Oreburgh a few days ago," she began, recognizing her mistake when his shoulders slumped noticeably. The nurse quickly assured him, "I'm sure that your friend was on his way to Floaroma Town. Why don't you ask my sister there?"

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," he said quietly.

"You're quite welcome." With that, the screen went black again. Max searched for the Floaroma Town Pokemon Center's number on the computer again and copied it under the previous one. His glasses fell from his face in his haste. Before impatiently placing them back on his face, he realized they were fogged.

Max carried them to the bathroom and cleaned them with a tissue. Placing them back on his face, they seemed to magnify how bloodshot his eyes were in the mirror. On top of that, he still had a bed head. _And to think, I went on video phone looking like this. _He took a moment to clean himself up and then returned to the video phone, repeating the process with less confidence due to his previous failure.

Deja Vu couldn't even begin to explain his thoughts regarding the Nurse Joy that answered the phone this time. "Hello. This is the Floaroma Town Pokemon Center. How may I help you?"

"I'm looking for Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Max said, crossing his fingers, hoping that Ash would be there.

"One moment, please," Nurse Joy said, and again, he wondered if this was the same Joy. But he knew that there were many Joys, mostly with the same personality.

"I'm really sorry -,"

"That's okay," Max interrupted, startling the woman. _Today's just not my day. _

"Do you want me to search for his last recorded location?" She asked, the one thing so far that set her apart from her sister.

"No, that's okay," he replied politely. _May was always polite. _Max froze. He thought of her as if she were dead. And what if she is because she was out on her own?

"Excuse me," Nurse Joy, asked in a worried tone. The boy looked so lost to her on the other line. What happened? "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Nurse Joy," he said hurriedly. _I'll try to contact him later. _"If Ash comes to the Pokemon Center, can you tell him to call Max? He'll know who it is."

"Okay, so I'll be on the look out for Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, correct?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"No problem. You're-,"

"Excuse me, Nurse Joy," a voice beyond Max's view sounded. His heart leapt up to his throat. He knew that voice. "I'm Ash Ketchum."

OoOoOoOoO

_Finally_, Ash thought, _we're in Floaroma Town_. Traveling in the wilderness had its perks but there was nothing he preferred better than a nice, comfortable bed to sleep in at night. After that whole fiasco with the old woman who's Pikachu was missing, Dawn, his newest traveling companion and Pokemon Coordinator in training, had been more than eager to get baking herself creating Poffins. He too was excited since Poffins were a Sinnoh original. He wondered if it was just like baking bread. But his Pokemon needed a proper rest at the Pokemon Center, so, despite Dawn's arguing and complaining, they headed straight for the Pokemon Center, Pikachu right at his heels.

Upon entering the Pokemon Center, Ash went to the counter where Nurse Joy stood using the video phone behind it. Before Brock - who accompanied him on yet another journey - could proclaim his undying affection to the nurse, Croagunk burst from its Pokeball and poison jabbed him, dragging the breeder away.

"He never learns," Dawn said, shaking her head.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed, his best friend shaking his own head as well.

The duo walked to the counter, patiently waiting for Nurse Joy to end her conversation, when the pink haired woman mentioned his name. "Okay, so I'll be on the look out for Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, correct?" She asked the person on the receiving end of the video phone.

"Yes. Thank you," a young, male voice on the other line confirmed.

"Hey, they're talking about you, Ash," Dawn said. "Maybe you should let her know that you're Ash."

"Right," Ash nodded, agreeing. "Excuse me, Nurse Joy," he interrupted. "I'm Ash Ketchum."

"Really?" The nurse asked, elated. "That's wonderful!" Redirecting her attention to the screen, she spoke to the boy on the other line again. "Can you hold on for one minute? I'm going to transfer you to a public phone so that you may speak with Ash. He's here right now."

"Okay," the boy said, quietly. Ash couldn't put his finger on where he knew the owner of the voice from, but whoever it was didn't sound so good.

"Would you like me to take your Pokemon?" Nurse Joy asked Ash, sliding a tray across the counter.

"Yes, please." Ash placed the Poke balls that belonged to Staravia, Turtwig, and Aipom on the tray, then returned it to her.

Before accepting the tray, she typed a few keys on her keyboard and waited as the video phone screen blanked. "You have a call waiting for you at video phone two."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy." _I wonder who it is._

"Hey, Ash!" Brock ran to catch up to Ash and Dawn who were headed to the phones, Croagunk already in his Pokeball. "What's up?"

"Ash has a call waiting for him," Dawn answered. "We were going to the phones now."

"I see," Brock said.

The group continued to the phones, and Ash was happy to see who was on the other line. "Max!" He figured that Max was still at home since he was still wearing his pajamas, and he looked a little weary.

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu waved a paw in greeting of his previous traveling companion.

"Hi guys," Max greeted, less enthusiastically.

"Who's that?" Dawn asked curiously, pushing her face toward the screen to get a better look. Max, in response, backed away from the screen, startled by the girls vigor. He noticed that she looked to be about his age.

"This is Max, Dawn," Brock answered. "He and his sister," - Max's eyes darkened at 'sister' ," traveled with us in Hoenn and the Battle Frontier." Brock in turn introduced Max to Dawn. "Max, this is Dawn. She helped Pikachu before we met her and has traveled with us in Sinnoh since. She's a Coordinator like May."

"So your sister's a Pokemon Coordinator?" Dawn squealed, not noticing the scowl that Max sent her.

Max wasn't too happy with this new girl. _So Ash just replaces May with a bratty-looking, wannabe Coordinator? _"Yes, she is," Max said impatiently.

Dawn blushed._ He's kinda cute_, she thought, completely oblivious of his mood.

"How is May?" Ash asked eagerly, pushing Dawn - she yelped a 'hey' in protest - out of the way. He really was disappointed that May decided to leave, and for her sake, he tried to appear happy that she was going to pursue her dream in Johto. In reality, he developed feelings for her and was hoping that she felt the same. _May probably left to go travel with Drew. _He shook his misery away, instead focusing on receiving information.

Everyone finally noticed that something was wrong when Max shifted his gaze away from the screen, his glasses briefly catching the light. His face fell, a troubled look marring it and replacing the calm look he had before. "That's what I called about," he said, his voice just above a whisper, his eyes still averted.

"Max, what's going on?" Brock asked, worried.

Max hesitated, keeping the tears at bay. _I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry. . . ._ Once he was positive that he wasn't going to cry, Max took a deep breath - the others leaned closer in anticipation - and finally answered. "May is . . . .," Max paused, then quickly continued. " May's gone."

Ash's mouth dropped slightly in shock, Pikachu following his example. Dawn covered her mouth with both hands, horrified despite not knowing May personally. Brock held a troubled expression.

Max continued when his statement was met with silence. "I woke up to my mom . . . . screaming, and when I got down to the kitchen, she was holding the note May wrote to Kinji. It said . . . . it said that she wanted to go on her own and not to worry."

Ash flinched. Whenever _Dawn_ said not to worry was when her mother worried most.

"She left last night when we were all asleep," Max finished.

Ash, though wary of his own words, tried to reassure Max. "May will be fine Max. She's a strong Pokemon Coordinator, and she has reliable Pokemon to protect her."

"_Pikachu-pika_," Pikachu added, believing that Blaziken was a fairly strong Pokemon.

Ash's words convinced Max a little, however, so he cheered up some. "Can you just keep your ears open for any information about her? My mom is a wreck, and Dad's calling the police right now."

"Did she leave any clues about what she was going to do?" Brock asked.

"She was acting weird after we came back home. She would skip out on dinner sometimes, and she always stayed locked up in her room. Dad thought it was nothing, but Mom was really worried."

"We'll help you, Max," Dawn said, hoping to gain some favor with him and cheer him up. He smiled a little bit, which earned another blush from Dawn.

"Ash is right. May is strong, and so are her Pokemon. You guys should continue on your journey. Just listen for any rumors, that's all. I can look for her in Johto since I'm starting my journey tomorrow, anyway," Max said with new confidence. And to think, he didn't believe calling Ash was a good idea. "I have to go now."

"Take care, Max," Dawn said shyly, waving a little.

"Good luck on your journey," Brock added.

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu reminded Max to clean his underwear just as Delia did for Ash.

"Yeah, good luck, Max," Ash said, still troubled by Max's news.

"Thanks guys," Max replied. "Good luck to you, too." The screen went black, signaling Max's departure.

"That's too bad," Dawn said. "Why would his sister runaway?"

"Yeah, that definitely doesn't sound like May." Brock wondered if leaving Ash and him was the cause of May's strange behavior.

Pikachu wondered if leaving May was a good idea, worried for her well being.

Ash was in a near state of panic. _What if something __**does**__ happen to her, and I'm not there to protect her? _He couldn't let the others know he was worried. They in turn would become worried, and he didn't have the heart to ruin Dawn's training because of his selfishness. "I'm sure they'll find May, safe and sound," he reassured them, the group becoming chipper in response. "Now, let's go make Poffins!"

"Yay!" Dawn cheered, instantly forgetting about May and Max. Brock and Pikachu reluctantly pushed their worries aside, leaving only one with the burden to bear.

_May , please be okay._

OoOoOoOoO

Max returned to his room, feeling slightly better about the situation than he did before. It was like May said, she was about to leave on another journey anyway. Besides, she had her Pokemon with her.

He was about to open his dresser to pull out clothes when he noticed something out of place on his desk. There was a blue sheet of paper on his desk - he instantly knew it was May's since that was her stationary. Sitting on top of the sheet was a red and white, spherical device, a white button in the center. A Pokeball.

Max removed both items from the desk and sat down on his bed. It was another note, this time longer and more detailed. He adjusted his glasses to read it.

_Dear Max, _

_By the time you get this letter, I'll be long gone. I know you wanted to become a trainer and travel with me, and for that, I'm sorry. But I need some time to train on my own. It's for the best. You'll become a great trainer, Max. I know it._

A tear joined the page, sliding off where the note was tilted. It left a small spot that was joined by others as the letter progressed.

_Go back for that Ralts you saved; make it your first Pokemon. I'll lend Munchlax to you since he seems to like you a lot anyway._

Max, not bothering to wipe the steady flow of tears, gripped the Pokeball in his hand. He stared at it blankly for one moment before pushing the button in the center to release the Pokemon inside. The device opened releasing a stream of red light. From the laser emerged a large, gluttonous Pokemon, blue in color, with a large, round belly. "Laaaaaaaaaax," it yawned, stretching it's stubby arms. It scratched it's side before assessing its whereabouts. "Munch?" It exclaimed, wondering where its trainer was. Munchlax.

Max sighed, gaining a small smile that contrasted with his tears, petting Munchlax on the head before he continued to read.

_I'm only going to take Blaziken and Eevee with me so I can start fresh. Instead of joining contests, I think I'll just travel like I wanted to before I met Ash. My whole life changed after I met him, in more ways than one. I'll travel to the coolest regions ever: Fiore, Johto, Orre, Sinnoh!_

_I'll make sure to take lots of pictures. Collect tons of memories, and make lots of new friends, okay?_

Max nodded as if the paper were speaking to him, saying, "Okay."

_I know you'll do your best and be the greatest you can be, just like Dad. I love him and Mom, and I'll miss them._

She made it sound like she was never going to see them again.

_I love you, too, even if you are an annoying, obnoxious brat sometimes._

May's words had the desired effect she intended; he laughed, causing Munchlax to peer up at him curiously.

_The next time you speak to Ash, tell him that one day, once I become a Coordinator again, he can count on me being there to give him the next and hardest challenge he will ever face. _

Max couldn't help but feel that there was a double meaning in that statement. He wished that he would have found the letter before he called Ash.

_Stay strong, keep your head up, and don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. I love you._

_May_

She drew the same, stupid stars that always accompanied her name. Max wiped his tears away; he had to stay strong for May. "You ready for a new adventure, Munchlax?" Max asked with enthusiasm.

"Munch!" Muchlax replied in kind, punching a fist into the air.

Wherever May was, he sent her good luck, mentally joking over an obsession his sister developed during the beginning of their journey with Ash.

_And May returns for another exciting adventure on May's Expeditions. _

OoOoOoOoO

So, this is my first fic. If the fic starts out a little slow for you, I promise things will get better. I actually had no intentions of writing this fic. Instead, I was going to write the sequel to it first since the sequel is when the real juicy stuff between May and Ash happens. But I have to offer an explanation for what happens between the time May leaves and then. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder, so I have to describe in detail the absence! I hope you enjoyed it. Review, please!


	2. Too Late

_**Chapter 2**_

**Too Late**

"Good morning you two."

"Blaziken!"

"Eevee!"

May stretched her arms and shook herself. She had been on edge all night, half expecting someone to knock on her door and send her home. If that happened, she doubted her father would ever allow her to leave the house, let alone travel to anywhere.

Her stomach growled in protest. Somewhere in Sinnoh, she was positive that a certain trainer with a Pikachu was hungry also. "I guess we should get some grub, huh?" She asked her two Pokemon companions. Both responded 'yes' in their own way.

May reached for their Pokeballs on her belt. "Okay Blaziken, return!" Blaziken disappeared in a stream of red light. She prepared to do the same with Eevee but stopped. Her Pokemon were all she had on this new adventure. If anything, Eevee could keep her company.

May left her room, shutting the door before making her way to the lobby. Nurse Joy sat behind the desk, typing a few keys on her keyboard, and occasionally looked up at the computer screen. She walked up to the desk, Eevee in her arms, to greet the nurse.

"Good morning, May!" Nurse Joy said, ignoring her work in favor of chatting.

It felt very awkward for May to be able to speak to Nurse Joy without Brock being there to profess his love to the pink haired woman. "Good morning, Nurse Joy."

"I see you're a late person; late to bed and late to breakfast." The older girl smiled. "I wish I could be as carefree with my hours."

"Yeah." May grinned sheepishly. She did come in rather early in the morning. Three o' clock to be exact.

"I'm late to contests too actually."

"Are you heading to breakfast now?" Nurse Joy asked. "If you are, I would like to join you. I'm sure Chansey and Blissey will be able to handle anything that comes up."

"Are you sure?" May asked.

"Positive," she said, smiling warmly. "They'll know where to find me should they need me. Besides, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You shouldn't go without it."

"Then I don't mind at all!" Which was a lie considering that any flash of blue put her nerves on overdrive. May was paranoid and half-expected Officer Jenny to show up through the sliding doors, her father in tow. And with the close connection between all Jennies and Joys, May knew it was possible that two thirds of the Hoenn region was informed about her and on the lookout. It was only a matter of time. . . .

"That's a darling Eevee you have there." May snapped out of her thoughts abruptly as she gathered her tray: pancakes, bacon, eggs, and toast. It was too bad that they weren't serving any Ramen. Nurse Joy's plate looked pretty much the same, excluding the pancakes. Her attention was drawn to Eevee who was playing with her ears, stroking the appendage with one of her paws. "It seems happy and well taken care of."

May blushed at the comment, especially since she had forgotten to get Blaziken and Eevee food. _I don't have Brock here to remind me anymore. _Her chest tightened a little.

"Though I think it prefers the night to the day," the older woman stated, completely oblivious to May's mood.

The comment instantly roused the brunette's curiosity. "Why do you say that?" May eyed Eevee who yawned, coincidentally proving the nurse's point.

"Because it was much more active when you walked in earlier this morning." May wondered how something like that was even notable, but then again, she was a nurse. Her job recquired observation more than anything else. "You might want to consider training it to become an Umbreon."

"Can't I evolve it with stones too?" May asked with an edge to her voice. She knew that Joy was only making a suggestion, but the comment succeeded in riling her. Who did she think she was, telling her what to do?

"Well sure." The nurse added a little distastefully. "But I myself discourage the use of them unless that is what your Eevee wants. It should be _her_ choice." And again, May felt smaller than a Caterpie. Here she was about to bite off Joy's head when she was only looking out for the best interests of Eevee, something she hadn't been doing _since I left Ash_.

May wasn't going to even lie to herself; she was going to miss Brock, and things certainly weren't the same without Max. But the only lacking presence that affected her was Ash's. Eevee knew the same obviously, and May was quite aware that if Eevee was human, despite her acting as a Teddiursa as of late - being a living comfort object must be hard on the lungs -, she would have been snickering.

May also felt a little guilty. Her recent actions were selfish and made without any regard to her family's or her Pokemon's feelings. Maybe Eevee and Blaziken wanted to continue in contests, and not just wander around aimlessly. Seeing the sights was not the best cause to run away. And eventually, Eevee was going to get tired of her blubbering. Max would be worried sick, her mother would think that she ran away for drastic reasons - she was within her rights to be nervous about her mother's reaction since the woman thought her father was cheating on her - and her father would turn over all of Hoenn looking for her.

_Which is why I shouldn't being chatting in a place only a day away from Petalburg as if I don't have people looking for me. _But May didn't have the heart to tell her she didn't particularly **want** company, at least not human company anyway. It was then that she remembered she completely spaced out while said company continued rambling on. " - and the more your Eevee comes to love and trust you, the more likely it is to evolve into an Espeon or Umbreon." The pink haired beauty spoke with a quiet, strong voice. "Judging on how much more active it is at night, it will probably evolve into an Umbreon."

"Right," May said quickly, hoping the speech had ended. "I'll keep that in mind."

"So is Eevee your only Pokemon?" A genuine look of interest entered the nurse's eyes, and May couldn't help but smile. _She loves Pokemon a lot, just like . . . ._ "No I have others." May said calmly, placing Eevee, who was curled up on the floor sleeping, onto her lap. Her bowl was already empty. May didn't touch her food at all. "But I only brought her and Blaziken."

May cursed herself as she noticed that she hadn't released Blaziken so that the fire type could eat. "Come on out, Blaziken!"

In a stream of red light, Blaziken stood before them, its beak tilted upwards, and its stance straight and sure.

"My!" May's smile deepened when the normally quiet and calm nurse became excited. "What a strong-looking Blaziken you have here!"

"Blaze!" The flames on its wrists flared in a display of strength, as the blaze Pokemon tilted its beak further in the air proudly.

Both females laughed at its display, Eevee cracking her eye open to wearily glance at Blaziken. May's sudden mirth was a hopeful sign for the rest of their journey. Small, but hopeful. Eevee smiled then went back to her nap.

"It seems that you take very good care of your Pokemon." Joy said after a small giggle escaped her again. "Are you a Pokemon Breeder as well as a Coordiantor?"

"No," May denied, vehemently waving her hands to signify her answer. Eevee whined in response to the jerky movements, so she quickly calmed. "But a friend that I traveled with is a breeder." May softly smiled, remembering Brock and his antics concerning females. "He's really awesome."

"Oh yeah?" The nurse seemed smitten for a moment, and a small snort escaped her lips. If only Brock was here; the guy would have fainted nine times over just to see the expression on the nurse's face.

"He's a fine breeder then." The compliment added four more faints to the list. "I hope you've picked up a lesson or two from him."

""If anything," May confirmed with a chuckle," I've learned how to cook better." She missed Brock and his magic on the grill, stove, or any cooking surface."Though, I'm not too good at making Pokeblocks," May added as an afterthought.

"You don't look like the Pokeblock type to me," the nurse observed thoughtfully. May felt slightly insulted which set her nerves on end again. She didn't have time for idle chitchat!

"I'm sure that Poffins will suit you better." Joy nodded her head, while May shot her a curious look. The nurse was thoroughly enjoying herself. She never sat down to breakfast with the trainers and actually chatted; the quiet morning hum of the cafeteria relieved her stress. She relaxed more and continued to eat her breakfast.

The opposite was registered at May's side of the table. The only one truly relaxed was Eevee, who was quite content in May's lap. Blaziken was eating while May became more and more paranoid. She needed to leave the Pokemon Center before Nurse Joy found out that she absconded from Petalburg. Her food was still untouched. But she was still curious about the information she could pull from Joy. It's not everyday that you get to speak with the nurse outside of her working environment. _If the cafeteria of her work place could really be considered outside of her working environment._

Which brought her back to the conversation. "Poffins?"

"Yes!" The nurse tried to think of a good comparison to baking Poffins. _Baking, of course! _"Do you know how to bake bread?"

"Sure," May said cautiously, failing to see how this connected to Poffins. It's not like she knew what they were. "I always used to bake bread with my mom." The thought brought more happy memories to the table.

"Then it's pretty much the same thing," the nurse said, still smiling.

May became excited again. Eevee really wasn't appreciating her roller coaster of emotions right now. _I know how to bake bread! _"How does it work?"

"All you have to do is make a batter using berries and bake it!" She said with enthusiasm, having caught the 'Suddenly Excited May Disease.'

_Well then maybe there's some hope for my contest career after all_. Though it's not like she was going to join again anytime soon. Drew and Harley would always be one step ahead of her, and she wouldn't have Ash to be there for her. _Contests just aren't the best thing for me right now._

Nurse Joy interrupted her thoughts again with another question. "Did you travel with anyone else?"

"Well," May began, extending the e, "I _did_ travel with my little brother for a while."

"Uh-huh." The nurse stirred her eggs around absently with the fork. "And what is he like," she asked, seeing that May wasn't willing to elaborate.

"Well -." May was interrupted by a pink Pokemon with an egg in a pouch on her belly.

"Chansey!" The Pokemon was rather anxious, waving its arms around.

Nurse Joy sighed in disappointment. "Looks like I'm needed." She quickly finished her eggs, then stood to dispose of her tray. "I'm sorry I can't stay."

"That's okay." It was more than okay. She needed to leave now that she wasn't actually obligated to stay.

"You're a great coordinator, May." Now she felt guilty for wanting the nurse to leave. "Keep up the good work. And remember, as a coordinator you have to be both a strong trainer and an excellent breeder. If you're traveling you should go to Orre." Her interest was peeked again. "It has many colosseums that you can challenge, which is a perfect way to train."

She wanted to go, but she was supposed to head out to Johto that day. She could go to Orre after she went to Johto though. "I'm going to Johto now, but maybe I'll travel to Orre another time. Have a good day, Nurse Joy."

"You too, May." With a final wave, Nurse Joy allowed herself to be whisked away by Chansey.

Now it was just her Pokemon and . . . . her. May groaned in mortification when she realized that her food had gotten cold. _I have to eat. We're traveling non-stop, today. _She didn't need to risk being held up again.

Eevee snuggled further into her lap.

OoOoOoOoO

Thirty minutes after finishing her breakfast found May walking to Slateport, Eevee dozing in her arms. The walk was pleasant enough at first; it was a calm beautiful day, and so far, she hadn't heard of anyone looking for her or seen any missing poster. But as she went on walking and walking - and walking - and as the cute little bundle she was carrying felt heavier and heavier, she began to wonder if she was going to make it to Slateport in time to catch the ferry to the Johto region in the morning. Still, she continued walking until she was so tired that she felt sleep beckoning her despite the fact that she was walking. The great glaring moon and countless stars watched as May finally decided to submit to the calls of rest.

By then, Eevee was wide-awake, silently aware of the occasional odd noise that could possibly pose a threat to either May or herself. Her trainer was exhausted; it was obvious due to her slackening pace and more frequent stumbles. The way May was going, she was going to be sleepwalking by the time they made it to Slateport. The small canine decided to take matters into her own her hands, easily slipping out of May arms. The action startled the coordinator out of her delirium. Having her attention, Eevee dashed off to find a place to rest for the night.

"Hey! Eevee, where are you going?" May followed the normal type as closely as possible who darted away from the road to the right, running steeply uphill into the very thickest bushes.

As she was finally awake, Eevee was just vanishing into a little hole on the side of a cliff that was well hidden by the bushes. It was so inconspicuous that it was hardly noticeable until you were right on top of it. In fact, by the time the brunette realized what was happening, only Eevee's bushy, white-tipped tail could be seen.

May immediately stooped down and crawled in after her. It wasn't very elaborate inside - just a hole in a rock wall, but dry and earthy. It was small, but not cramped, large enough to fit a Venasaur at least. "Is this your way of telling me that you're hungry," May asked sheepishly.

"Vee!" The rare Pokemon squealed in protest. It was doing May a **favor** by finding this spot.

"Was I that obvious?" May sighed in defeat when Eevee shot her an exasperated look. She released Blaziken into a sitting position since the cave ceiling was low, its knee tucked to its chest while the other leg lay stretched out. Blaziken draped one arm over its bent knee, watching the other two occupants of their present sleeping quarters.

May quickly ate the food she took from the cafeteria: bread and cheese along with some dry jerky. The Pokefood was handed to Blaziken who shared with Eevee. The food, though rather plain, made her feel deliciously warm after she had swallowed, and she could no longer deny sleep. Blaziken slept as well, keeping her warm for the night with its arms, and Eevee, who was not really tired at all, kept watch.

It seemed to May only the next minute that she was waking up. She felt a little cold and stiff, thinking about nothing except for taking a hot bath as soon as she got the opportunity. She checked her watch, rubbed her eyes, and then checked again. It read 10:43.

"Eevee!" She wailed, almost positive that Eevee hadn't gone to sleep with her and Blaziken. "Why didn't you wake me up?!"

The normal type huffed. The girl was drop-dead tired last night. It's not that she _didn't_ try to wake May up; May just _wouldn't _wake up.

"We only have twenty-two minutes to get there!" May immediately scrambled to gather her things, recall both Blaziken and Eevee, and get out of the cave, blinking in the daylight. She gave herself no time to have her eyes adjust, immediately finding the road and taking off down it.

Slateport was not as far off as she originally thought. She could already see the city's ferries stationed at the port, and the various tents set up close to the port. Closer and closer, she continued to run, now able to point out the city's more obvious landmarks: the Pokemon Center, the Oceanic Museum, and the Pokemon Fan Club. She checked her watch again. She only had five minutes left to get there, but she could make it. The problem would be getting through the crowd.

Many yowls of pain filled the air around her as she did whatever she could to make it through the crowd: stepping on uncovered toes, knocking over boxes, dodging little children with lollipops half in their moist mouths. _Almost there! Almost there! _May became more and more anxious as she got closer and closer._ Almost there!_

"The ferry to the Johto region will be departing soon. Please board now if you haven't done so already." The announcement upset her stomach. The crowd still blocked her way to the ferry. _Come on_, she thought depserately. Finally she made it out of the crowd after pushing through tourists. _I'm gonna make it! _Just when she was about to step onto the dock, May found herself crashing to the ground.

"Hey, watch it!" A male voice complained. His long, blond hair was pulled back into a braid. His hand rubbed the back of his head as he tried to gain his bearings, growling in annoyance. A single gray box lay tipped over beside him, its contents strewn about on the ground. May realized that in her haste, she wasn't completely aware of her surroundings.

"I'm sorry!" She apologized immediately, moving to pick up the weird machine parts scattered on the concrete. "I wasn't paying much attention."

"Yeah, that much is obvious," he retorted, snatching the part from the ground before she could touch it. She was just another delay on his end, and his boss couldn't stand tardiness.

May frowned. "I said I was sorry," she stated. "It was an accident. You don't have to be so rude about it."

He looked at May, his expression serious. "There are," he said, "no accidents." He stood up, brushing his black pants and sleeveless shirt off. He held out a fingerless-gloved hand for her to grab onto in order to stand up. "You okay?" he asked, sighing. Now that she was actually looking at him, May could see that he was kind of tall and that his bangs covered a small part of his face, spiking a little past his hazel eyes. He was also strikingly handsome, with sculpted cheekbones and slightly angular features that a girl just couldn't help but notice even in his boyish appearance. He looked to be about Ash's age.

May accepted the offered hand, a blush creeping its way onto her cheeks. "Um, thank you," she said hesitantly. For a second, she just stared at him. He was watching her so intently, as if he recognized something within her features. It took her a moment to look away.

"Alex!" May's attention snapped toward a girl standing at another dock, hands posed on her hips. From her appearance, she could tell that the girl was older than she was; the girl had the same blond hair and hazel eyes. She wore a navy blue tube top under a white jacket and a black miniskirt, showing off her long legs. _They're related_, May realized.

"What the hell is taking you so long?!" She asked, her ponytail swaying behind her. "Stop flirting, and let's go!"

"Calm down!" Alex yelled back.

May noted with amusement that they acted just like siblings. The older girl stormed off onto a different ferry. Watching the other girl board reminded her that she needed to be boarding as well. Just when she was about to run to the ferry, the horn blew and the ferry slowly moved away from the dock.

"Oh, no!" She moaned in horror. She missed the ferry to Johto.

"Hey," Alex called, tugging slightly on her hand. May realized that he never let go of it and blushed again. "You're a trainer, right?"

"Well, I'm more of a coordinator," May answered, "but I was going to go to Johto for training." May watched the ferry leave the harbor wistfully. "But I missed the ferry as you can see."

Alex finally released her hand in favor of picking the machine parts off of the ground and replacing them into their respective box. May watched, silently wondering what she was going to do. She certainly couldn't stay in Hoenn, and Sinnoh was not where she was about to go, especially if Misty was there with Ash as she thought the gym leader was.

She was startled out of her musings when Alex grabbed her hand again and pulled her in the direction of the ferry that the other girl boarded. The box was supported by his hip and held in place by his free arm. He had such a firm grip and his hand was warm. When May finally found her voice again, her question escaped her lips in a rush.

"Where are we going?"

Alex didn't answer, pulling her onto the ferry with him. He didn't have to answer. The billboard was covered with pictures of desert cities and towns. Labeling the billboard was one single name: Orre.

"Wait!" May said, tugging on the hand that held hers. He stopped, waiting for an explanation for yet another delay. "I'm not going to Orre!"

"Then where **are** you going?" A smug grin slowly formed on his face when he didn't receive an immediate reply. "Besides, if training is what you want, Orre is much better than Johto anyway," Alex bragged.

May remained silent as she followed Alex to the second floor. He stopped at room 217 where he rapped quickly on the door.

The door flew open to reveal the same girl that had called him before. "Took ya long enough, little brother."

"Don't call me little," he grumbled, abandoning May with the older girl. Said girl blew raspberry at his back, then beckoned her guest inside her cabin.

Her sapphire blue eyes roamed the cabin floor, littered with clothes and cosmetics. "Sorry about the mess," she apologized, sheepishly. "I suppose you're Alex's girlfriend," she added distastefully.

"No!" May denied quickly, waving her hands frantically. "No, I'm not!"

"Well, I guess I should've known better. He never had a thing for the opposite gender anyway. Not that he's gay or anything. Females just don't affect him as much as he affects them." The blond shuffled around the room aimlessly. "Besides," she added, "it would take a real looker to move him."

May huffed. She wasn't the most beautiful girl, but she had thought herself cute at the very least.

Her host seemed to realize her mistake. "No offense meant. You could present yourself better, though."

"Oh really?" May asked doubtfully. The comment was more offensive than the former. A tense silence followed which was soon filled by a gasp.

"I never introduced myself, did I?" The older girl asked, more to herself than May. "My name's Lemina."

"I'm May."

Lemina sent her a disarming smile: it changed her whole face, like spark lighting into a flame, everything brightening. May completely forgot that she was peeved. She paled in comparison to the beauty before her.

"I like it," she said. "Reminds me of the month. It makes you seem even more pretty than you are. So what's your story?"

May wasn't sure whether of not to take it as a compliment or an insult, so she decided to remain neutral. "I was late for the ferry to Johto because I bumped into your brother. Then he dragged me onto **this** ferry."

"Well, I'm surprised you're not much of a flirt. Whenever girls see my brother let alone touch him, they go all gaga," Lemina said, screwing up her eyes so that they were unfocused and whirling a single finger in the air.

A shrill horn blasted from the mouth of a pipe, signaling the soon departure of the ferry. The bed in the cabin looked very inviting, tempting enough to cuddle in after a night in a cramped cave.

Lemina noticed the predatory gleam in May's blue eyes, smiling at the antics of innocent kids._ I wasn't allowed to be that way. _Her hidden life drove her to appreciate the simple things in life. Like innocent girls. "You can have the bed if you want."

May snapped to attention, flushing at being caught. She nodded, settling on the bed to sleep. It wasn't like Lemina was going to get much sleep anyway. She left the cabin, closing the door quietly behind her. She had to speak with Alex concerning their package.

May squealed in delight, stretching and snuggling as deep into the bed as possible. It felt good to her stiff muscles. She promised her self a long shower once she woke up. In the meantime, she would sleep comfortably.

She rolled onto her stomach and folded her arms across the squishy pillow. She was late for everything it seemed; she was late to contests, late to the Pokemon Center, late to breakfast, late to Slateport, and she was too late to win Ash's heart it seemed. Misty beat her to it.

Lemina returned to the cabin later, finding May fast asleep. The girl was still dressed and unpacked, a wet spot suspiciously close to her eyes on the pillow.

OoOoOoOoO

* * *

I apologize for taking a long time to finish this chapter. Between shopping for school and my summer reading, I had little time for sleep let alone writing. I guess I was a little too late in writing the chapter, huh? I would like to take this opportunity to note that I don't appreciate any reviews that attempt to discourage my choice of pairings. I have three words for you: **GET OVER IT!** I accept **constructive** criticism, not any other type of criticism. I hope you checked out my profile; the full summary to the sequel of A New Expedition is written there. Tell me what you think about it. If this fic has you advanceshipping fans riled, you'll be jumping out of your seats for the next one. Stay tuned! Thank you for my previous reviews; they put a large goofy smile on my face. And don't forget to review for this chapter, please. My new phrase: all it takes is ten to get me writing again. 


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